


Rise

by Andromeda964



Category: Dark Knight Rises (2012)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-04-19
Updated: 2013-04-19
Packaged: 2017-12-08 23:06:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 721
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/767117
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Andromeda964/pseuds/Andromeda964
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"Be free," Bane whispered before the darkness consumed him. </p><p>And she was.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Rise

**Author's Note:**

> This little tidbit came to me while I was studying and wouldn't leave me alone. I hope you enjoy it.

The first time Bane fought for Talia she hadn't even been born yet. 

Her mother had been lowered into the pit just a few months ago and Bane had instantly taken a liking to her. It was rare to see a woman, a thing of beauty, in the midst of so much appalling sadness and depravity. Bane wished to protect her, to give her a chance to live in this pit, no matter how terrible of a life it might be. To help her not be ripped to shreds by these men who would wish to use her until her body and spirit were broken. 

Bane did not wish to see her broken. 

He was even more protective when he learned that she was with child. A black tide of anger had washed through him at the men who had lowered her, a helpless pregnant woman, into this dark hell of a prison. 

He helped her as best he could. He brought her food and water so that she did not have to leave her cell. He stayed with her always. He was watchful, a protector. 

But of course, men always want what they feel they cannot have. 

They lingered outside of her cell, leering and calling her names. She remained as stoic as possible, but Bane could tell that these men frightened her. He did not blame her. Bane knew she knew the kind of crimes these men had committed. He knew she knew that these men would destroy her if they got the chance. Would spread her legs and defile her until she begged for a swift death. 

Bane remained ever watchful. 

But he was only human and not perfect. He left her one day to fetch food and water from the most recent supply drop. When he did this he always made sure that she was locked safely in her cell. He had been distracted that morning, though, a dangerous thing in the pit. There was always chaos and fighting when supplies were on their way down and Bane had been worried about getting into position. 

He forgot to lock her cell. 

One of the men who usually lingered outside noticed his mistake and took a chance at her. Bane’s blood turned to ice when he heard her screams. With inhuman speed he raced back to her and hauled the man off of her and her unborn child. He snapped his neck without a moment’s hesitation and left the corpse outside as a warning. 

Men rarely bothered her after that. 

Bane continued to care for her and the time passed quickly until Talia was born. 

Talia, a beautiful name for a beautiful baby girl. 

Bane loved her. He knew he had no right, but he did. He had never seen anything so gorgeous in his entire life. Her small face was angelic. She loved to wrap her tiny hands around his pinky and coo at him happily. Bane wished he could save her from this life. Give her a chance to escape the darkness, to rise up from this hell on earth. 

It did not help things that her beauty only intensified as she grew. By age four, Bane and her mother resorted to shaving her head and smearing dirt across her face to try and mask her. She was so sweet, so innocent. 

So pure. 

Bane would always be there to protect her. 

And he was. When the men of the pit overpowered her mother, he caught her up in his arms and used his body to shield her. Bane knew Talia’s mother would rather he protect her daughter than save her from a fate that had been coming for a long time. A fate that she hoped Talia would never suffer. 

And Bane did protect her from that fate. When the time came for him to save her he used all the power of his body to toss her onto the wall out of harm’s way. Watched her rise up and leap even as the men of the pit tore his face to shreds. Watched her fly across an impossible amount of space like a beautiful, glorious bird. 

Reaching… reaching…

Until her tiny fingers grasped the rock ledge and she pulled herself to freedom. 

“Be free…” Bane whispered before the darkness consumed him. 

And she was.


End file.
